The Big House - Nostalgia #1

In one of my previous posts about Nostalgia, I expressed my desire to revisit some memories that evokes strong emotions in me and are special. Click here to read the Nostalgia series. 

---------***----------------------***----------------------***---------

I have lived in Mumbai all my life. And whenever we visited (rarely) our village in Uttar Pradesh, the treatment we received from my grandparent's neighbours made us feel like a celebrity. Lol! The entire village would come to our house, would touch and gawk us with curiosity and ask so many questions about the big glamorous city - Mumbai. The rural folks of my little village are or were in awe of city life. 

I remember hearing this story about a man who worked as a labourer in Mumbai. Whenever he visited his house back in our village, he would narrate stories about Television sets in Mumbai being  wall-size big!! Or how you can bump into Bollywood actors anywhere in Mumbai! Haha.. These fictional stories created this fake illusion about the city. But as a kid, I started believing that I am privileged to live in Mumbai and that the rest of the country is not so. That life was grand, rich, modern, fun, interesting, comfortable and amazing only in my city and nowhere else.

I had this mindset when I visited my bua's (aunt) house in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh. But once I looked at the BIG HOUSE, I got a reality check!

I was about 7-8 years old. My cousin sister was getting married and we all were supposed to stay in my bua's (aunt's) house till the wedding. Now, although we lived in Mumbai, at that time our house was a match-box sized room in a dingy chawl with public toilets and a common well to draw water. Yet, I felt like a princess living in a castle because of people's reaction to the city. So when I saw this huge house nestled in a place that not many have heard, I was shocked and surprised. 

My grandparents' houses are big but they are typical village house with earthen stoves, cow dung floors and hand-pumps. But my aunt's house was grand least to say and semi-modern. The tall iron gate, luscious garden, electricity, coolers, functioning taps, pets, helps, cars, LPGs and so many large rooms. Each room was equivalent to our entire house! Haha 

I still clearly remember the hustle and bustle of guests swarming in and out. I had never seen so many people being accommodated effortlessly in one house. A staircase led to terrace where I spend my days playing with other kids. There were many interesting days that deserve individual posts, which I may write about. Big coolers were brought in every night that sprayed cool fresh air. 8-10 people slept in one room comfortably.

Best part was I got a break from my parents as the marriage preps and guests kept them occupied. I would slip away for a whole day without meeting their probing eyes. After that I visited the house only once. And now things have changed dramatically but my heart warms every time I think of those weeks spent in that big house in Jaunpur. It broke my illusion and made me aware of different shades of life and cities that co-exists while I was busy gloating about Mumbai. Hahaha :D